Star Trek 413: Sons and Daughters

WHY WE LIKE IT: The fatherly Martok. Tension rising between Dukat and Kira.

WHY WE DON'T: Alexander is still a pain.

REVIEW: The Dominion War through Klingon eyes gives Worf is only sizeable role in the 6-part opening arc, but aside from Martok, he's not well attended. The Rotarran crew I liked so well in Soldiers of the Empire is nowhere to be seen, and instead we get a band of chuckling bullies pushing Alexander around in the cafeteria. Yes, that's right. Alexander's back. There's probably not a Klingon I care less about than him.

He's what now, all of 12? But playing fast and loose with (take your pick) the timeline or Klingon biology, he's a young man who's just enlisted. He's still petulant and disrespectful to his father, and insultingly polite to other Klingons. You just know he's going to save the ship at the end despite all his screw-ups, and Worf's shame isn't unreasonable under the circumstances. Martok is steady and wise throughout, the only one seeing the forest for the trees, and his scenes are rather good. But a lot of the Klingon story is high school drama. My daddy never loved me. The bigger boys beat me up at school. Boo-hoo.

Meanwhile, on the station, the title "daughter", Ziyal returns from Bajor. See, I'm not a big fan of her either. Her naiveté is so outrageous that you can tell she's being set up for a fall. Dukat naturally uses her to get closer to Kira, but with a new resistance now in the offing, there's not much chance of that happening. His little games are nonetheless entertaining - and her artwork a good catalyst - as Damar looks on and grumbles.

LESSON: You can't play video games and work at the same time.

REWATCHABILITY - Medium: The only part of the Retaking of Deep Space 9 arc that doesn't reach High in my opinion because we're suddenly back to TNG's family dramatics.